Today in Michigan it’s a beautiful, sunny and 75 degree afternoon…..In November! This isn’t normal, yet quite delightful, I must say. It makes it hard to imagine that as soon as tomorrow, winter could descend from its hidden depths.
There are so many seasons to a year in the life of a knitter. There’s the season where we can’t possibly think of knitting with wool. We sweat just imagining it. There’s Christmas knitting. That’s a season all it’s own. It comes fast and furious and when it’s over we realize that many of our intentions were scrapped as unfinished objects, or UFO’s, as they’re referred to in a knitters realm.
The list of knitting seasons goes on and on, including ones I make up. My favorite is the season where I tackle small projects for the whole family, the one where no one gets anything too time consuming, and everyone gets a little something.
Knitting Projects for the Whole Family
So what kind of projects are your traditional quick knits and how can we relate them to be sure the whole family is included? Let’s talk about 4 possibilities, starting with hats.
1. Hats
There are so many hat patterns out there that the hardest part is choosing one. Let me narrow things down a bit by clueing you in that a majority of today’s savvy knit designers are making their patterns available in sizes that fit a newborn on up to a Shrek sized head.
Finding a pattern the whole family can wear can make everyone smile, not to mention they’re great props for family photos.
Try these easy hat patterns: https://knitfarious.com/knitted-hat-patterns-on-circular-needles/
2. Mittens
Let’s talk about a second and third set of quick family knits. Who doesn’t love a pair of mittens? They’re great for the littles in your family. A simple i-cord can hold a set together, strung through the sleeves of a coat.
I run a charity mitten collection for the children of a Detroit public school and one of my knitters always makes me an extra mitten for each pair. It has become something I look forward to each year and it’s her way of acknowledging what it was like as a child to always lose one.
Try this knitting pattern: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/child-mitten-pattern-4145483
3. Fingerless Mitts & Arm Warmers
Clearly there’s a generation in our families that need to keep their fingers free for texting and that brings me to my 3rd family knit – fingerless mitts and arm warmers.You can even find patterns without thumb gussets. These are incredibly fast to knit and something you can do right in front of your favorite show.
Try these fingerless mitts knitting patterns: https://www.handylittleme.com/easy-and-quick-fingerless-gloves-knitting-patterns/
4. Cowls
Let’s wrap up a 4th knitting project for the whole family by mentioning cowls. Men wear them too! Most cowls can be knit on a circular needle with very little drama. They’re fast knit, especially if you use a worsted weight yarn. You don’t have to be an experienced knitter to tackle a cowl with a little color blocking or striping. You just need confidence.
Try this cowl knitting pattern: https://knitfarious.com/free-cowl-knitting-patterns-for-beginners/
Remember, Have Confidence in Your Knitting Abilities!
The words I give my students are the same ones I’ll share with you. Have Confidence. I believe when you want something you can have it if you approach the subject with a willingness to open your mind with confidence.
Kathy Naumann